Bersinghausen (DPA) – Thomas Schaaf didn’t want to lose any time. Shortly before ten o’clock in the morning, the Werder legend was at the training ground in Barsinghausen, preparing for the first training session on his difficult rescue mission.
Nearly eight years after the end of his double era at Weser, the 60-year-old will now have to try in the shortest possible time to get back a completely vulnerable and lifeless team with manageable sportsmanship so that they can play against Gladbach. Or the new round of exile on Saturday halted the first descent in 41 years.
“All the players are enlightened, I watch all the players closely,” Shahaf said after his first training session. After nine games without a win, the main thing is to “build a new framework to bring confidence and conviction”, said Schaaf, who was head coach at Bremen from 1999 to 2013 and won the double in 2004.
The Werder legend is not worried that his good reputation at Bremen could suffer in the event of relegation from the Bundesliga. «I worry less about myself. this is not important. It is far more important to realize that you may still be able to achieve something and help,” Schaff said. Werder broke up with head coach Florian Kohfelt on Sunday. Bremen are currently ranked 16th and only one point ahead of 1. FC Köln is ranked 17th.
When managing director Frank Baumann called him on Saturday evening, he only thought about it briefly, said Schaaf, who is already working for Werder as technical director. «Because I am very attached to the club and I have such a history. It is a matter close to the heart,” said Shaaf.
On Monday, Schaaf was already in his element with his longtime assistant coach Wolfgang Rolf. Be it on the tactics board or while watching the goal shooting practice – Shahaf watched very carefully and intervened again and again. “Of course, there are some situations already in your head for Saturday, which may freeze or change now,” said Schaaf, who also called on Kohfelt on Sunday morning. “I wanted Florian Kohfelt to finish the season and maybe even be a coach in Bremen for many years to come.”
But now it is Shaf who is responsible and has to save the club of his heart from falling. As in 1999, when the ex-pro began his coaching career at Weser & Werder, only the final sprint resulted in relegation and a little later the Cup victory. Even at that time the overall condition of the club was not good. “But I will not compare them with each other,” said Schaaf.
But he still wants to delve a little into history. Even if in recent times. “We have players who have already shown their potential. Now we have to manage that they bring that ability back on the pitch,” said Schaaf, who recently played harmless strikers Niklas Fulkrug, Davy Selke, Milot Rashika. And Josh will show Sargent some videos with old hits.
“And then it’s about being proactive against Gladbach.” If Werder is as active as Schaaf against Borussia on Monday, the defense could really be something. And Schaaf would have added a successful defender to his reputation as a double coach.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210516-99-623448/7
Total coffee specialist. Hardcore reader. Incurable music scholar. Web guru. Freelance troublemaker. Problem solver. Travel trailblazer.
